THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS (2002) MOVIE REACTION - FIRST TIME WATCHING - REVIEW
Vložit
- čas přidán 23. 02. 2024
- Welcome to my first-time watching as we react to The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002). This was my (Ari) first time watching and this trilogy continues to impress me. The writing is brilliant and the world just feels so lived in.
Starring Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, and directed by Peter Jackson, "The Two Towers" is the second installment in J.R.R. Tolkien's epic trilogy. This movie truly impressed me because it took the time to get a bit more intimate with the characters. Not only is it masterful storytelling but I was truly captivated by the character's evolution.
The jaw-dropping landscapes still look good after 20 plus years! And that is such a notable achievement. There's simply so much to love in this story, the bonds of friendship, the allure of magic, and the looming darkness that challenges our heroes and is constantly reminding them how important this quest is for not just everybody involved but everybody in Middle-earth.
We hope that you enjoy our reactions, commentary and discussions as we delve into the film's themes and how it impacted the fantasy epic genre. It's clear this film has had a huge impact on the genre. The groundbreaking visual effects and the heartfelt themes which are truly timeless allows this film to have something to marvel at visually and something that'll touch peoples hearts.
The epic Battle of Helm's Deep was truly insane. The scope and the way they shot it was such a huge accomplishment especially for the time. And the fact that they were able to weave in narrative during the fighting made it that more impressive.
The mysterious Ents of Fangorn Forest were a nice addition to the lore. There were so many great moments during this film and I can't wait to share my experience of the conclusion with all of you!
If you'd like to support the channel and gain access to the full length reaction become a member of our patreon bit.ly/3ICVrJ6
Watch our reactions early! / @officialmediaknights
#TheLordoftheRingsTheTwoTowers #Reaction #TheMediaKnights - Zábava
This has truly been an incredible experience guys! I can honestly say my expectations wouldn't dream of coming close to what these films actually are. Filled with beautiful writing, amazing performances and a score that just hits you in the core. The Lord of the Rings has quickly become a world that I am happy to explore and I'm so grateful we get to share this with all of you. If you enjoyed the reaction leave a like and subscribe (It truly helps us a lot!) And If you'd like to support the channel and gain access to the full length reaction become a member of our patreon bit.ly/3ICVrJ6 Watch our reactions early! czcams.com/channels/iCUz1bHid4H9mu6g2IOjXg.htmljoin
If you really want to enjoy Tolkien's world, read the books.
Enjoy and if there's any questions you have. I'm sure us Tolkien fans can help answer them
It's not the 2nd movie, and there is no "The End" at the end.
It's really is a long 11.3 hours movie (filmed at once for 2 years) cut in 3 parts.
Waiting for Hobbit ❤ you guy's are such a cool 😎
55:10 I love how worm tongue tears up because he realises what will happen to human kind. And there will no future for him
Denise is the real MVP for not giving anything away. Reacting, but not revealing. What a superb movie companion she is!
I know, right?
There was only one moment when I thought "No, please don't.." when Galadriel and Elrond were talking and said the journey would claim Frodos life and Ari was like oh no and Denise said "No, it is what could happen", kind of killed that feeling of anxiety for Frodo
But I agree, it is a way better movie companion than u could hope for, she was awesome and kept it hidden and safe 🙂
And don't worry, I saw they already watched RotK so I know I am not spoiling
I love this about her. Great content for us, but she only reacts visually. I hate when people do things like "oh, you're going to love this" or even "watch this". She is perfect at letting us know she knows like we do, but giving nothing away.
It’s called restraint and patience. It’s not hard to do.
I love her facial expressions. lol
The "DID YOU KNOW?" after Aragorn kicked the helmet had me rolling with laughter.
I was literally stopping the Video on this scene and look in the comments for that :)
That and Albert Blithe surviving until 1967 are probably the two most often repeated facts on CZcams.
@@Whiperdorme too! This shit’s funny
"fUn fAcT"
The way she looks in the camera and says nothing, that is what send me
All the LoTR fans "SHES GONNA SAY THE THING, SHES GONNA SAY IT RIGHT?!"
21:25
"Did you know.."
The face she made before saying it 😂😂😂
Nobody ever mentions the last scene of Fellowship of the Ring, when Sam is walking out to Frodo in the boat. Sean Astin (Sam) had his foot pierced by a giant piece of glass and had to airlifted to a hospital. He returned later that same day, with several stitches in his foot and demanded they finish the scene. I personally find this one way more interesting and much less talked about.
Idk, I hear u, but ppl making fun of others for pointing that out is becoming as much of a cliché as ppl pointing out was in the first place, like I said, I hear u, but, it’s an awesome fact….i first heard about it 18 years ago & it still never gets old….& it’s not like ppl hearing it for the first time are annoyed about it or something, it just endears them to how epic and awesome the making of the films were…..idk, im tired, & prob not making too much sense.
It's like Michael Scott straining and straining.......................
THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID
Hehe yes! I was waiting for that moment
Facts. The transition of Theoden's face to wellness is not CGI. It is a series of shots applying more and more makeup and then running the film in reverse. Brilliant!
Wow didn’t know that.
They did something similar with the werewolf transformation in An American Werewolf in London.
😮😮😮😮😮😮😮
That's why it ages so well, because they used a lot more makeup than cgi
@@sydneystudds
Some CGI really held up well too though, to be fair
Gollum is a great example IMO
I always love that, despite their father’s favouritism, Boromir and Faramir are really close brothers.
Yes, I like that too.
Remember this day, little brother!!
Tolkien talks about the brothers' relationship in an Appendix to ROTK: "So time drew on to the War of the Ring, and the sons of Denethor grew to manhood. Boromir, five years the elder, beloved by his father, was like him in face and pride, but in little else, taking no wife and delighting chiefly in arms...Faramir the younger was like him in looks but otherwise in mind...He welcomed Gandalf at such times as he came to the City, and he learned what he could from his wisdom, and in this as in many other matters he displeased his father. Yet between the brothers there was great love, and had been since childhood, when Boromir was the helper and protector of Faramir. No jealousy or rivalry had arisen between them since, for their father's favor or for the praise of men..."
To me it seems Denethor's "favour" seemed more like a burden than a blessing.
@@bghoody5665
In the book Denethor burdens himself most of all. As a statesman he did not rest. He constantly micromanaged all matters in his realm “great and small”. It is said in the book that he is constantly wearing chainmail and bearing his sword at all times despite being far from the battlefield, so as to not allow himself to grow complacent or unused to his armour. He also did not know of the ring being at Rivendell because he did not have the leisure, focusing all of his reconnaissance through the Palantir on Sauron and his army for many years, which eventually brought him to despair and broke his hope of winning. However until the fateful events surrounding his sons happened he still did not give up the fight. As you can see, Denethor does not burden anyone more than he would burden himself… none were as dogged, relentless and unyielding in the fight against Sauron as him, for as long as him, no matter how misguided.
Boromir volunteered for the quest himself because he and Faramir had been having a prophetic dream about the sword that was broken and the council at Rivendell. Faramir had many of these dreams, Boromir had one after a while of this. It can be speculated why, but it seems that Faramir is more alike to his father in that he has inherited some manner of Dunedain foresight and minor magical connection, whereas Boromir has the body, appearance and pride of their father but is more akin to the “swift sons of Eorl” (the Rohirrim) in his temperament. So it seems Faramir was supposed to be the main recipient but Boromir was eventually chosen as he took the initiative.
Another fun Aragorn trivia tidbit:
The horse that Aragorn befriends, "Brego", who comes back to save him after his fall from the cliff, was so beloved by Viggo Mortensen that after the trilogy was finished, Viggo personally bought the horse (along with two others from the films). Actually named Uraeus, the horse continued to live at his New Zealand home until passing away in 2015 at nearly the age of 30. Viggo posted this tribute to Uraeus on his passing: "A timeless presence in the minds of those who had the honour of knowing this proud, handsome, and supremely intelligent being, mighty Uraeus has finally come to rest on the physical plane. Thank you, Jane and Ray, for helping him do so with dignity. Dearest friend and teacher, I hold you and keep you."
oh man thank you for that
That's so cool to know. Appreciate it bro.
I think it's cooler he bought the two other horses to his horse coach (didn't have near enough to bye them). Stunt lady doubling Arwen in the Nazgul chase scene.
Viggo was literally the best cast member. He just popped up and took the role....
A beautiful journey for him and his human friend. They're one of the few animals capable of communicating with humans the way they do by body language & eye contact. I've seen a bit of grim stuff in my life, but any movie with a dog or a horse coming to a bad end puts me into tears. My dream is to get a farm and buy a horse or two with a past, & a couple of ridgebacks to keep them safe 🤗
One fun thing to notice. Both Saruman and Gandalf use black powder. Yet where Saruman used it as a weapon of war and death, Gandalf was shown making them into fireworks for cheer and merriment.
Great subtle characterisation.
I like that! Never thought of it that way, nice pickup.
Dude got up and started cooking..@@dudeusmaximus6793
The rift/differences go deeper still. When they were "angels," "God" asked for volunteers to go to Middle Earth to aid the inhabitants (wizards are basically angels). Sarumon immediately volunteered, but Gandalf didn't want to go. "God" then told Gandalf that he had to go. So, in essence, Sarumon desperately wanted to be the "best" angel. And Gandalf didn't want any of it, but was chosen by "God." Sarumon has always held a grudge against Gandalf because of it.
Great observation! I’ve watched these films dozens of times since their release and I never once made that connection. Thank you!!
@@joshuawiedenbeck6944 Ugh, I hate the God/Angel analogy people use for the Ainur.... its so sloppily applied and barely fits.
Also, Gandalf never said No to going. He only expressed he was nervous and afraid of Sauron, and then Manwe said conquering his fear was why he should go.
I love Denise being such a lotr fan girl and being unable to stop herself for more than 3 seconds before blurting out the broken toe trivia 😂 I feel seen 😂
She’s def a fan girl but she didn’t get that the Elven rope was magical and only comes undone when the bearer is finished using it.
@Cinerary correct me if I am wrong, but it also wasn't pointed out why it was made a point that gimli got 3 strands of hair in the 1st movie instead of just the one that he asked for.
@@TheTerranscoutsomeone in the comments to the reaction of the Fellowship did tell them.
"Were gonna be watching the extended edition"
INSTANT LIKE.
"We're gonna watch the extended edition" INSTANT DISLIKE.
🤡
Same.
Also to avoid being repetitive BARUM!!
"Frodo wouldn't have got far without sam" Is one of my favourite lines. The delivery and tone is so good.
Samwise Gamgee is awesome!
Wouldn't have*
Wouldn't have*
Wouldn't have*
No truer words have been said. Frodo wouldn’t have gotten out of the Shire w/out Sam in the movie. Sam grabs his hand just as he’s about to put the Ring on while they’re all hiding under the big tree root from that 1st Nazgul. And Sam saves him similarly several other times, too. Sam for MVP!
In the books it is told that the elvish rope never fails (will never untie or drop the users) unless the user wants to retrieve the rope- in that case it loosens at a gentle tug. Elf magic :) Something every reactor seems to forget. Same with the elvish cloaks...they're /magic/
Working on Lord of the Rings and being involved in the filming of the Battle of Helms Deep is one of my favourite memories. Although the shoot was hard, long nights under rain towers in full prosthetics and heavy amour, it was when we truly bonded. Everyone remained so committed to the film and just gave it their all. It was such an amazing experience! And yes I’ve got the “I Survived Helms Deep” T-shirts.
Great reaction ❤️
Thank you for your efforts. It really shows onscreen. I fear we will not see it's like again in my lifetime.
So cool! Did you get killed by Viggo Mortenson at any point?! I remember watching the behind-the-scenes documentary on Helm’s Deep and thinking how miserable it must’ve been to film, but also being aware of how bonding such experiences could be. Pain is temporary and film forever, and all that!
That's so amazing. I wish I could've worked on the LotR films like you. Y'all made cinematic history with this trilogy.
Wow! It must fill you with pride when you see the finished product. These movies are incredible and will still be enjoyed long after we're gone.
Did you get much screen time?
Thank you for your amazing effort!
The scene where smeagol banishes gollum and the back and forth camera work was done in ONE take, and Andy Serkis changing personae's on a whim. He should have gotten an award, his acting in this is so underrated.
I'm just disappointed he hasnt gotten an award yet... even for his performance in Planet of the Apes
He won 3 awards for his role actually 😊
The technology was too new. Well he had invented it for these films. They didn’t understand the scope of the tech and the performance that had to be done. We all know that is what makes him even more of a legend
His last name should be spelled Circus and he should have starred in Britney Spears’s music video. Therefore no awards to Andy.
Bernard Hill is just so amazing in this...the bit where he breaks down while saying 'No parent should have to bury their child..."...it's just incredible. It breaks me every time.
It was his suggestion to add that line too! They really let the actors bring depth to their characters
@@Daveyboy100880 Yes 👍 Apparently it was based on a letter he had received from someone who had lost their own child. I’m pretty sure that’s what he says in the cast audio commentary. It’s been a few years since I watched it
Where Gondor when the Titanic sank?
@@ncs2000you can feel the importance of his characters (Theoden/Cpt.Smith), when you meet Bernard Hill himself. The only actor, who was able to be an actor in two movies with 11 oscars, RotK and Titanic.
While it doesn't get as much attention, it's amazing how well he did as being a badass leader and his performance as a weak and doddering old man while possessed by Saruman.
Viggo bought Arwen's horse and gifted it to the stuntwoman who rode the Chase. He also bought "Brego" and kept him until the horse passed of old age.
It's so adorable the way Denise looks at the camera to acknowledge the "secrets" we all know from previous viewings.
This is so much fun watching a reactor reacting to a fellow reactor reacting to a movie for the first time. 😁🤗
23:28 One of the best reactor watching reactor moments (Pippin and Treebeard).
It's why I rewatch Eric and Calvin of Blindwave doing GOT. Eric does the side eye to the camera so often lol!
In the book, Gandalf and the balrog end up in a world "far beyond any tunnels dug by any dwarf or goblin". He says that "nameless things, older than Sauron himself, live there" and that "I will not report what I witnessed in those depths for I do not wish to bring that darkness to the world of light".
The balrog actually FLED the place and only resumed fighting when Gandalf chased him to the top of that mountain. It is unknown what kind of horrors and awful monsters they encountered.
That, uhh, is actually horrifying to read. Would have loved to see that, lowkey 😂
@@OfficialMediaKnights Uhhhh you sure about that? Look up some of the artwork for these creatures and ask yourself '' Do I want to see this on the big screen?'' Cause they are horrifying to see
@@OfficialMediaKnights yeah you don't wanna, those creatures on the caverns of the world, which is are the byproducts of Eru Illuvatar, from the creation of the world and the reason why they exist, is because of Melkor, (Morgoth later on by the Elves, Big Boss of Sauron and the other Balrogs) well not sure if that's the reason but hey, speculations are fun.
It might not be confirmed by Tolkien, but in my opinion the disturbing of the song of creation by melkor is our best guess why those horryfying creatures exist. And I think ungoliant is one of them as well as the watcher.
Probably contemporaries of Ungoliant, hope I'm spelling it right, mother of Shelob, who scared Morgoth shitless after she drained the two trees of light, he had to sick a bunch of balrogs on her and run away back to Udun. I just imagine the two maiar fighting down there and some eldritch horrors roll up and they call a time out just to run tf away lol 😅 why eru illuvitar allows them to maintain a role in existence I have no idea, perhaps as cosmic bouncers to keep all the players within bounds. Idk.
She just had to mention Vigos broken toes 😂 no LOTR fan watches that without telling others 😂
But another fun fact, most of the Rohan riders from the previous scene were women dressed as men. With fake beards and everything. I was because the horses had to have their masters (Woman Horse club) and they just went with it
Hahah are you even a true fan if you don't mention it?? 😂
Also no way, that's amazing that it was women with fake beards, looove that!!
Should've just let them be women, TBH. It's pretty clear in the movie you don't mess with Rohan, regardless of gender.
Thanks!I was going to post the same thing. The "Making Of" and "Commentary" that came with the DVDs, of the Trilogy, was almost as good as the Movies! The level of detail that Peter Jackson insisted on , will make this production be amazing for many many decades. They tried in the 70's to tell the story with animation, but it need real Actors, for the audience to be truly Emotionally Invested
@@MrBendylaw it's also pretty clear in the movies they don't let women fight so it wouldn't make sense
@@CodeeXD How is it pretty clear?
My favorite trivia for these movies is that Viggo was so dedicated that kept a sword with him at all times to get used to having it. He spent as much time around his horse as possible to seem natural with it. This let his horse an d him bond to a point that the scene where the horse is nudging him while he lay on the ground was an unplanned scene. The horse was worried about him and did it on its own. They grabbed the camera to film it. After the shoot, Viggo purchased the horse and kept it at his own ranch.
The swords instructor even said that Viggo was the best Swordsman/actor he even worked with and the horseback riding instructor said the same thing about his horse skills.
The Lord of the Rings is the epitome of, "It's not about the destination, it's about the journey getting there," and the friendships you form along the way.
And yet it simultaneously has one of the best destinations in fiction
As for the journey, Jackson did use some left to right/west to east framing but nowhere near as much as in the Hobbit movies - those using left to right is almost every shot.
Can I just say that I love Denise with that little smile that keeps coming up in all of these scenes because she already knows what's going to happen. That is literally me every single time I introduce this to someone who hasn't seen them
I know mate 👌
I can relate although people who hasn't seen lotr are becoming hard to find ...
@@vincentdesjardins1354 it’s rather generational. I’m 48 and don’t know many my age who haven’t seen it unless they just aren’t interested. When I talk to people in their 30s, it’s about the same. Once we get to people in their 20s, it changes
I think Eowyns song at Theodreds funeral is such an underrated beautifully done moment in this trilogy
Not to add too much to the trivia from all the fans but everyone seems to forget John Rhys-Davies also voiced Treebeard, a role he often says is the hardest of his career. There is a clip on youtube where he describes how he used breathing techniques to create the sound and then had to talk both fast and slow to fit the scene and the character's nature.
Yup, he would breathe independently from his speaking, maintaining a steady in and out regardless of whether he was talking or not. That's why he often sounds like he's talking on an inhale rather than an exhale; he was!
He also voiced Sauron’s few lines. For example, when he is speaking with Saruman through the Palantir and says “Build me an army worthy of Mordor!”
@@cdub9923?!? I did not know this!
A note about Gollums CGI work is that it actually isnt Motion capture. It was years before the neat suits with dots for a computer to track. Gollum is basically completely "animated" like a cartoon with a 3d model. Thats why his facial expressions and eyes look SO DAMN REAL because there was a team of artists taking forever to fully animate the gollum model with Andy's performance. Its why nothing quite looks like Lord of the Rings. it was at the time of practical and early cgi so this movie is more like a beautiful painting.
I’m fairly certain he was filmed with motion capture for gollum’s arms and legs but the face and torso was animated like you said
30:06 I love how Denise, who has already seen the movies, looks at us like, “here it comes!”
When Saruman's army is revealed, you can see not only shock on Grima's face, but also tears. Because all he wanted was Éowyn and some power for himself, he never intended for the people of Rohan to be genocided. And that's the moment when he realizes what he had done
Nice that you mentioned "Gandalf is pure hope". What follows is not a spoiler for the movie, but is a insignificant spoiler for the book "Silmarilion": In his origins Gandalf (then called Olórin) used to spend a lot of time with Nienna, one of the Entities that helped creating the world. Nienna was the embodyment of mercy and Olorin learned a lot from her.
She's the Lady of Tears right? Which to me is so fascinating given that Gandalf is such a being of joy. I think it also ties into the love he has for mortal races, especially the "simpler" ones.
The actor who plays Gimli, John Rhys-Davies also provides the voice of Treebeard.
26:35 Tolkien fought in the battle of the Somme, the bloodiest of the First World War. The dead marshes are partly based on his experience there, with the dead and the dying lying in the mud.
28:40 It's a 'fell beast', not a dragon. There are dragons in middle-earth, but they are sentient and intelligent. These things are just animals, an upgrade for the horses they lost in the flood.
48:40 Eowyn is a beautiful warrior princess, making good stew is just outside her skill set.
1:09:08 We see the director's children again, he sneaks them in wherever he can!
My mom read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to me and my sister when we were wee children in the 1960s, each of us on one side of her and the book in the middle. It's how I learned to read, completely unintentionally and effortlessly. I was miles ahead when I started school.
The maps they keep breaking out in this franchise are exact copies of the maps on the inside front and back covers of the books.
And those maps were designed and drawn by Tolkien himself, with the help of his son Cristopher.
The cuts to Denise when she already knows are fantastic editing.
Her ability to go with the feeling coming from Ari is also commendable.
Genuinely scary how well she is false with ease...but commendable.
Awww she said it. The broken toes.
Couldn't help herself.
"No parent should have to bury their child" is such a phenomenal piece of acting by Bernard Hill. The tone shift in his voice and him breaking down. We haven't spent any time knowing his son (even less in the theatrical cut, somehow) so we aren't really mourning him, only sympathizing with the grief he's showing us and he does it so masterfully. I cry every time. I well up just thinking about it.
Secondly, I've said it in a comment before but I just want to re-iterate how much I enjoy the editing in your videos. Excellent work as always in this one. Keep it up!
"Real Elvish rope." The knot coming loose after Frodo and Sam made it down wasn't a coincidence.
Yes, in the book Sam says something to the effect that he thought the rope came when he called for it.
When Saruman reveals the Uruk army, the tear that you see on Wormtounge's face is one of my favorite visual details. He sees the potential destruction of his people and the part he played in betraying Rohan. Such great acting by the whole cast as always!
Also, that scene when they're preparing for battle at Helm's Deep...sheer perfection!❤❤❤
Yes--he didn't want Rohan destroyed, he wanted to rule over it after getting Eowyn in the deal. Now he can see that Saruman is really going to wipe out everything he wants.
Dude Theoden's haunting monologue over visuals of young boys of Rohan suiting up for battle always sticks with me.... so well done.
What an incredible detail! Thank you for pointing it out. There is storytelling even in little moments like this. That is precisely why I'm falling in love with these films. Helm's Deep was such an amazing battle. Honestly I can't fathom the amount of work that must've taken but clearly it was worth it. We are still impressed by it!
Rhe Helms deep battle required 4 months of night shoots. The cast and crew said they were zombies by the end of it because most of them didn't handle being up at night and sleeping during the day
Indeed..love that shot...don't believe it took me 20 years to realise the actor that plays Grimer is Billy from 1 flew over the cuckoo's nest
So, regarding your guys’ questions about how long the Dunedain could live, their lifespans slowly got less and less through the ages as they mingled with regular men and interbred. Elros was the first King of Numenor and lived to the age of 500. He was also the brother of Elrond. Both he and Elrond were half-elven, coming from two half-elven parents. They were allowed to pick which race to belong to, and Elrond chose the Elves and Elros chose Men. By the time of LOTR, the typical lifespan of the Dunedain was less than half of what it was during the time of Elros.
That shot of Gandalf and the Balrog falling where it's just pulled out over the lake under the mountain was incredible to see in the theater.
I seem to recall that scene was based on a drawing by one of the artists, Alan Lee or John Howe, but I’ve looked everywhere short of watching the bts dvd again & can’t find it. It is really stunning, seeing them fall out of the mountain over the lake. Probably my favorite shot of the whole series.
The flying creatures the Nazgûl ride are called Fell Beasts. They don't breathe fire and they're much smaller than a dragon but they create fear in most mortal creatures including animals and have a strong foul overwhelming and fear inspiring smell around them (I would assume like death and rot).
The word "Fell" in this sense means terrible or dreadful and Tolkien referred to other dark creatures as fell beasts as well so it's not a name exclusive to the Nazgûl's flying mounts but most LOTR fans know them by that name even though they were referred to as Hell-hawks and Nazgûl-birds as well (though they explicitly didn't have feathers and were described pretty much like we see in the films and very un-bird like).
Karl Urban is very good at immersing himself in a role and becoming that character. Whether he plays Eomer, Billy Butcher, Judge Dredd,, or even Cupid.
His portrayal of Bones in the new Star Trek movies was also so spot on I knew who he was immediately.
I wish he played more Dredd.
That movie was fantastic.
A shame Jackson butchered the Character of Eomer in the movies and gave him such a minor role in the film when in the book Eomer was such a great character and became close friends with Aragorn. Karl Urban and Eomer deserved much better than thr film gave him
Cupid and Caesar lol. Now that's a throwback.
Y’all are just wonderful and I’m so happy to be part of this journey with you. You’ve helped me through a kind of dark time…..Serious car wreck with 2 broken legs, off work for almost 6 months… and then my little dog died unexpectedly. I’ve spent lots of sleepless nights with you and it really has helped. I’m especially excited for these 3 films!! Thank you so much for what you do…
First of all, we are so sorry about your accident and about your dog! We hope that you heal swiftly and well, both emotionally and physically. The fact that you found some joy and comfort with us made us deeply emotional. We wish you so much strength - you got this! ❤️
May I add my condolences to you as well. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 I know that you don't know me nor I you, but we're both part of the LOTR family, and that means we never leave one of our own behind. I am sincerely sorry about the loss of your beloved pet, I've been there and it's heart wrenching. I wish you only the best for your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual recovery, and that you come back stronger than ever before. Not trying to sound odd or weird, but if you ever need to talk/vent or just feel like shooting the breeze to clear your mind of negative thoughts, feel free to reach out. You're not alone. You've got this, and we've got you.🫱🏾🫲🏻🤝🏻🫶🏽❤️🩹
I don’t know you but any compassionate human would feel terrible for what you’re going through. My condolences about your little dog and I wish a speedy recovery.
Damn, broke your legs, off work and dog died? So sorry for you, bro. Wish you all the best.
@@OfficialMediaKnightsthere is something I can tell you though. In the books Frodo from carrying the ring discovers he can sense darker things when there closer as well as uses it to threaten Gollum that if he puts the ring on he could dominate gollums mind
This film might get credit for my love for watching reactors… to this day one of my favorite things to do is watch these movies with someone who hasn’t seen them before. It’s so fun to see their excitement unfold, you relive it through fresh eyes. My husband saw them all in theaters with his granddad, it’s his strongest memory of the two of them together. My husband showed them to me because I missed the boat when I was a kid, unlike him. I remember exactly the way we were when we watched Two Towers. New in our relationship, so young, up for hours discussing everything we loved about it… I feel like everyone remembers the time and place they first experienced this movie in particular. They’re all so special, sometimes I can’t believe they exist ❤
I was working at a cinema in the UK when these movies came out between 2001 - 2003. The cinema was packed with every screening of all the movies. It was a great time for cinema 👍🏾👍🏾
Misinterpretation of the elfish rope - it was meant to come loose after tugging it, kinda recognizing the climber had reached the bottom 😊
Hahaa okay, that makes sense!! These Elvish folk really know their stuff!
In the book, the Orc medicine was administered because Merry was likely suffering a concussion due to a nasty gash above his eye. The Orcs poured a dark brown liquor into his mouth and then the Orc took out a small wooden box that contained a dark waxy paste and smeared some on Merry's wound which caused him to cry out in pain. The wound later healed and Merry bore a dark brown scar above his eye for the rest of his days.
I wish they had included that detail in the movie.
It points to even their medicine being a warped version of elvish craft
That orc grog behind the scenes was actually as disgusting as it looks too, it was like a mix of peach concentrate flavor and like vanilla or something if I remember right
@@Kyrobinthian Peach and vanilla? Eww disgusting. (Sarcasm obviously)
And add another scene to the ending? Hehe
@@Nomadic813At this rate they should have made it a quadrilogy. With the 4th just being the endings.
Fun fact the scene where all the elves suddenly stamp and turn toward is actually because of Legolas, since Legolas is royalty, his dad is the King of the woodland realm (different place from lothlorien where galadriel is)
Prince of the Mirkwood elves
There are so many trivia bits through these movies that besides the big ones (broken toes) that there enough for everyone to have a unique favorites.
My personal favorites are from this movie.
The Uruks chanting was as a result of the extras trying to keep warm. A large number of the extras playing the Uruks were were members of the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF). Dressed up in all the costumes and makeup, filming at night and under the fake rain they were freezing. So in between takes they started slamming their spears into the ground to keep warm. Peter Jackson saw them doing it and incorporated it into the shots for Helms Deep.
The brief shot of the grizzled soldier of Rohan at Helms deep missing an eye isnt CGI or makeup. The extra rocked up with an eyepatch as he was so self consious about it. When it was found out that he was missing his eye he was acted for a small part. The attention he has recieved apparently gave him a massive positive boost to his confidence.
One of the extras on the DVD's also said there was a bit of rivalry between Elf/Uruk stuntmen, and apparently that was also a part of the spear slamming.
Denise, you're a true champ for getting excited about watching this with Ari, even though you've seen it before! Kudos to you for going along with it as Ari discovers everything himself!! 👏 👏👏👏👏👏
Thank you so so much, that's so kind of you!! Ari is such a wonderful viewer, picking up on so many emotional and narrative moments, it makes it that much easier for me to get excited!! 😊
The way Denise looks in the camera at key points in the movie that we all get while watching and yet not saying anything was great! I just sat here like “Here it comes!” 😅
From start to finish it took almost 8 years for this production.
As someone who read the books in middle school (over 25 years ago) its awesome seeing new people discover this story.
Thank you for watching this with us! You guys have been the absolute best. It's been a joy to share this experience with all of you.
Another great reaction! Here is my non-spoiler lore context for this one:
-The Dúnedain are the immediate descendants of a race of men who's island kingdom of Númenor predates Rohan and modern Gondor. The Númenóreans were gifted their island realm and their long life by beings known as the Valar. The Valar are 14, for lack of a better description, greater angels created by the god Eru. In the current time, very few Dúnedain are left, and with each mixing with other "lesser" races of men, their lifespans shorten, but over 200 is not unheard of at this time.
-Elrond has conflicting feelings about Arwen and Aragorn, as both Elrond and his brother were half elves. As a half elf reaches maturity they most choose a mortal life or elven immortal life. Elrond became full elf, while his brother chose to be mortal, and incidentally is the founder of the Line of Kings. Meaning Aragorn is distantly related to Elrond.
-Eru also created a caste of angel-like beings below the Valar, these are the Maiar and are greater in number. Both the Valar and Maiar live in the Undying Lands of Valinor, the same place the elves are leaving middle earth to go to.
-This is because the elven race originates from Valinor, as this is where Eru created them. Only later did some travel to and settle middle earth. Currently there are very few elves left in middle earth who were born in Valinor, with the rest having been born in middle earth after the migration. One such elf, is Galadriel, she is perhaps the oldest elf in middle earth, and was not allowed to return to Valinor due to some rebelliousness in her past, until she passed the test of temptation by the Ring. That is what she meant after she resisted Frodo offering the Ring.
-On occasion Maiar have been sent to middle earth for various reasons, especially to aid the free peoples since the first dark lord Melkor (A Valar who had turned against Eru) waged war in the first age. Sauron is a Maiar disciple of Melkor, and after Melkor's defeat rose to power himself.
-The Istari, the five wizards, are also Maiar. As spirit beings, maiar take a physical form when coming to middle earth, since Gandalf and the other wizards were sent to be advisors only and not match Sauron power for power, they took the form of old wise men. So yes Gandalf is the same race as Sauron.
-Other Maiar served Melkor back in first age as well, and one survived until the third age where he became known as Durin's Bane, the Balrog of Moria. Yup the Balrog is also the same race as Gandalf, Saruman, and Sauron. Which is why Gandalf got to open up his powers a bit when soloing him. It was Eru who sent Gandalf back in the new form of Gandalf the White.
side note, Denethor the Steward of Gondar used to be a good man. He has a palantir, one of the seeing stones like Saruman had. Through it, Sauron constantly whispered to Denethor driving him to extreme paranoia.
The Elves didn't originate in Valinor they were made by Eru but they awoke by a lake called Cuivienen east of Rhun and were there for an unknown number of years before Orome found them, they then split into two groups one which joined Orome in going to Valinor and those who refused who became the Avari. When the Elves approached the misty mountains part of the third tribe of the elves called the teleri remained there and afterwards one of the teleri leaders Elwe went missing and the rest of the teleri remained behind while the first two tribes the Vanyar and Noldor went to Valinor and lived there until the whole ordeal with Feanor happened and most of the Noldor went to fight Melkor, the only Elvish tribe/group that has never lived on middle earth is the Vanyar cause they only fought in the war of wrath and lived on Valinor.
The Elves 100% did not originate in Valinor. They orginated in Middle-Earth, and the Valar invited them to come live with them in Valinor. Only some of them actually made it and became the High-Elves. Some of the High Elves (the Noldor) returned to Middle-Earth and set up ruling realms during the events of the First Age. Galadriel is perhaps the best example of a High-Elf remaining in the Third Age.
@@darinbeachy1338 I stand slightly corrected. Thanks
Also, isn't Galadriels husband (Celeborn?) about her age?
Denise, your little grins, smirks and winks every time Ari mentioned Gandalf, and especially moments before the big reveal, were just perfect!! Chef's kiss! 😅
Cannot wait for Return of the King!!!
I've gotta say, it's been great seeing Ari experience this cinematic masterpiece for the first time, but honestly, the knowing glances Denise will shoot when something important is about to happen, or something is said or done that will come back into play later on, are fantastic.
My fav so far is when Gollum is captured and says, My Precious!!! Ahhhhhhhrg!!!! 😂
She does such an amazing job at letting him enjoy the movie without correcting his theories, so appreciated!!!!
18:43 Turning backwards in the saddle to shoot an arrow after you pass your enemy-- this is exactly where the term "a parting shot" comes from. Possibly a corruption of 'Parthian Shot'.
The line "by rights we shouldn't even be here" when the hobbits are in the ruins of Osgiliath partly refers to the fact that in the book by this part of the story they were already on Spacestation Gamma with Lord Zargon.
I really liked when Eomer gave them horses, he remembered those horses names. Little touch, but says a lot about the respect. Amazing details, amazing people💪🔥
I've re-read the books hundreds of times, and Gandalf's arrival at dawn stirs my heart every time! Jackson and company captured the amazing sweep and majesty of the books and brought them to life, love them so much! So glad you are enjoying them, and there's even more in the books.
Hey guys, first time on your channel, great reaction :) I wanted to point out what a beast Tolkien was, he created that world in the span of 17 years, and the complete lore goes as far back as like 70 000 years. I will bother you with my favorite fun fact, you can see stars in Galadriel's eyes, Peter Jackson used reflectors to film it, because she is the only person in middle-earth who saw light of the two trees of Valinor, in the times before sun and the moon. She is roughly 50 000 years old. All the best guys, can't wait for last part
Thank you for including your reaction to the entirety of Sam's speech to Frodo. Its my favorite Sam moment but a lot reactors skip the part where he says "That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo... and its worth fighting for." Love it!
"Nature is literally taking things back" - Glad you picked up on that! In his time, Tolkien could see industrialisation taking over year by year and he was heavily against it. He loved nature and the countryside, which is why the Shire is presented as so pure, and the villain's domains (Sauron, Saruman) are industrial with smoke, black towers, deforestation, dead landscapes, and so on.
My wife and I didn't want to fight the crowds, so we waited a couple of weeks to see it. That Saturday we turned on the TV to watch the space shuttle Columbia burn up on reentry to the atmosphere. I told my wife let's still go and see the Two Towers if to do nothing more than forget the disaster we had just witnessed. The movie starts with Gandolph riding the fiery Balrock into the depths, and I couldn't help but be reminded of the remains of the shuttle streaking through the atmosphere!
The unique style of Tolkien's prose, the way he writes, is like as if the novel Lord of the Rings was adapted from a series of travelogues. Before the age of modern fiction, one of the most popular forms of literature were travelogues. A travelogue is a truthful account given by a traveler of their experiences on a journey. It is a type of non-fiction novel and are typically written as first-person narratives.
Travelogues contain all sorts of details about the plants, the animals, the terrain, the people, the clothes they wore, the languages they spoke, etc. Now imagine each character in the story giving their version of events as they saw them. Each writes their own travelogue of their unique adventure and these are all then edited and compiled and translated into the fictional novel we all know and love. Tolkien writes using a third-person limited point of view with some variations. Switching the point of view to each character for different parts of the story. Tolkien confines every scene in the book to only that which one of the original members of the Fellowship are present for. If anything happens that those nine persons weren't present for, it only gets mentioned in passing or one of the main characters has it told to them by another person so we here about it that way. Rarely will the narrative voice appear and tell of something the characters arent aware of themselves.
Writing the book as if he were compiling each characters personal account of their adventure is why there is so much detail contained throughout the story. It's supposed to feel akin to a travelogue.
A while back I came across this comment: “we all wish we could have a Sam in our lives, but what we don’t wonder is how WE can be a Sam in someone’s life” it has resonated with me since. Can’t wait for you guys to finish the trilogy 🫶🏽
I'm so glad you gave good coverage of Theoden's grieving at his sons grave. So many people skip over much of that scene but it's such a touching moment.
At 56:05 When Elrond says that there is no hope and Arwen replies "There is still hope." A little extra context/easter egg from the books. To hide his identity as a child and protect him Aragorn was called Estel which is Elvish for "Hope." So often when Arwen is talking about hope she has a double meaning.
I remember in the theater everyone was still even after three hours just waiting to watch more...and then the credits started and everyone started screaming in dismay. People were just sitting and chatting while the credits went. No one was in any hurry to leave.
49:18 Aragorn will live to be 210 years old, but that is long at his time. In the past the Dúnedain lived even longer but at the end of the Third Age their live span has shortened a lot.
I generally hate review channels because the 'reviewers' offer nothing but 'yeh i liked it' 'so much fun' etc - on the other hand your commentaries and ending reviews are FANTASTIC. I love you observations around small details like sound design and your appreciation of flawed characters adding to the overall tone and depth of the picture - really really good thank you
Denise’s reactions are everything 😂 it’s like when you show a friend LOTR for the first time with another friend that’s seen it and you both look to each other after the newbie reacts lmao
I absolutely love Denise's expressions as she's holding back.
Ari- If you ever get the opportunity, go and see these movies in the theater. They are so popular, they are released for theater viewing every so often. They are even more amazing on the big screen, especially The Two Towers. I remember seeing it when it first came out and in the theater, the battle of Helm's Deep is an other worldly experience! With the surround sound and the larger than life screen - you can actually FEEL (literally) the terror felt by the women and children in the caves. The sound is so intense, your seat shakes. You hear the battle raging on outside. The boots stomping, the faint screams, the small rocks breaking loose inside from the impact outside... The other movies are amazing too with the epic landscapes that appear even more grand in scale and the score just fills you inside and out. I have seen many movies in theaters but NONE have given me a true experience like this series has. It's a whole other experience on the big screen!
Seeing return of the king in theaters was goddamn life changing
The Royal Line of Numenor originates from the twin-brother of Elrond, in fact. Elrond and his brother were offspring of an Elf-maiden and a mortal man, Eärendil (who later became immortal due to his actions that led to the downfall of Morgoth, the original Big Baddie and a former master of Sauron).
Given their very peculiar lineage, Elrond and Elros were given a choice; whether to be judged according to the fate of the Elves, or according to the fate of Men. Elrond chose to become the Elf, whereas his twin-brother Elros wanted to become a mortal Man, honouring his father and the brave deeds of his kin against the evil forces of Morgoth through out the countless years of the First Age on Middle Earth.
Elros became the First High King of Numenor, an island that was granted as a reward by the Valar, angelic beings and "gods" of Arda for those Men, who had chosen to fight with the Elves, against the tyranny and evils of Morgoth. Numenoreans were granted many gifts, like enhanced wisdom, insight and longer life-spans compared to those Men who stayed in Middle Earth. The life-spans of "average" Numenoreans were somewhere between 200-300 years, the members of the royal line reached even longer life-spans, usually somewhere between 300-400 years. Elros came to live 500 years, but after him the life-spans went in steady decline, as the darkness grow slowly but steadily ever greater in the hearts of most Numenoreans.
Sauron (surprise surprise) eventually brought destruction upon Numenor through his cunning, manipulation and deceit, somewhat 3000 years later after the founding of Numenor. Numenor was throughout the Second Age the mightiest kingdom Men hadcreated , nor ever will create, and it was destroyed in one, single cataclysmic disaster, which Men brought upon themselves. Its pretty much the story of Atlantis, basically.
In this world "words" are a powerful thing. When Gandalf tells the balrog "You shall not pass!!" he's not just saying it; that's a command! He puts his own energy into it so that the command prevails and when the balrog defies it by attempting to walk where Gandalg struck his staff, Gandalf's "word" prevails. You can also see that when Saruman and Gandalf have a remote fight of words of power when in the mountain (Caradhras). Grima does the same in Rohan to a much smaller scale. He keeps a small degree of influence on the king (Saruman is the one who actually broke the king) but he is unable to prevail over Éowyn's spirit as it resists his words.
I love this aspect of this world.
Yup. One of my many favorite things about Tolkiens world is that the world was, in the same vein as your comment, Sung into being. Like a story, words and music are what create this fantastical world.
@@UchihaOokami2596Yes! Words are indeed the fabric of the world, in a way.
@@excelente81also, promises and oaths bind people forever. The men under the mountain? Broke an oath there are a few examples of a person giving their word and coming to be struck down because they broke it. Gollum dying for example. Swears on the precious and then betrays that, and dies along with it.
5:50
Not luck.
It's a magical artifact, working as intended.
The best part about Tolkiens' work is that every single character is important. You can't remove any main/secondary character and have the end result be the same.
The best part about the movies is that every single character is so well acted that you never hate an actors performance, only the character they are portraying.
Edit: Tolkien was good friends with C.S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Naria author). Tolkien modeled Treebeard after Lewis because he couldn't stand how long it took Lewis to talk about things.
Edit #2: Gandalf is a great character because he is "power" and "hope," but he is also relatable. Gandalf is basically what we would understand as an angel. But you will notice in Return of the King that he doubts himself, he has fear, and he is not as confident as he presents himself to be. To quote a line from The Hobbit: "Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps because I am afriad. And he gives me courage."
I think its just a miracle how the cameramen survived this war, kept filming - brave people!
“Where is the horse and the rider?
Where is the horn that was blowing?”
I know that it’s coming and yet I still get choked up every time.
"Did you know..." haha the anticipation to give the trivia was adorable. Really loving your reactions, good job not answering Ari's questions or giving any hints at all! so much fun
Gandalf's scene with the Balrog, "You Shall Not Pass", what many LOTR fans dont know, not even the most hardcore, in WW1 General Robert Nivelle said the famous quote "Ils ne passeront pas!" ("They shall not pass"!). The Germans knew the French would never surrender Verdun under no circumstances, so the German High-Command tactic was simple, use the fact and bleed the French Army dry. The Battle of the Somme 1916 was a French and British offensiv (mostly British) to relief and lighten the pressure from the French Army at Verdun. And who fought with the Lancashire Fusiliers at the Somme? J.R.R. Tolkien.
Ironic, so many university memes and teachers using them not knowing it was a battle cry for millions of soldiers and i believe the scene with the Balrog had a different meaning for Tolkin. But we will never know.
I love that reactors always watch this 3 part movie as if it's a documentary of actual people and events. THAT'S AN IMERSIVE EXPERIENCE!!!
The smile for Faramir warms my entire heart and soul. He’s such a good boy
The “conversation” between Gollum and Sméagol is just pure Oscar worthy and Oscar performance from Andy Serkis.
You guys do the perfect amount of commentating during the movie.
Thanks for reacting to probably my all time favorite triology
50:12 With the Extended Edition, the audience already knew that Aragorn was thinking of his possible future with Arwen before he had the talk with her dad Elrond.
In the previous film, there is the scene when he is guiding the hobbits through the swamps (before Weathertop), and he sings by the fire.
Aragorn: "It is the lay of Luthien, an elf maid who gave her love to Beren, a mortal."
Frodo: "What happened to her?"
Aragorn: "She died."
The Elvish rope that was given to Sam.. It untied itself. Sam didn't tie a bad knot, it was the gift from the elves.
The amount of genius it took, for these films to come into our lives, blows me away. From Tolkien creating this world, these languages, and these characters. To Peter Jackson adapting all of it to film. To the cinematographers. To the musical score. To the amazing portrayals by the actors. It’s just an epic accomplishment.
I am so impressed with how intuitively you understand the characters after just a line or two. Faramir is made to look far more menacing in this movie than he was in the book, but in just his one line about the dead soldier, you picked up on his true character. He has a line in the book, “War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend” that sums him up beautifully. During Boromir's death scene in the first movie, they had a choir sing a translation of that quote in elvish.
As in the FOTR watch, I'm loving Denise's little side glances at him in certain scenes and her looks into the camera with a wry smile. Certainly during the Gandalf the While reveal. Awesome!!!
The reoccurring theme throughout the entire story is 'Hope'. As a child growing up in Rivendell under Elrond's guidance and care, Aragorn's given name then was Estel - which is Elvish for Hope. Every time I hear the word hope in the dialog I think of Aragorn. I read a post long ago that said:
Ónen i-Estel Edain, ú-chebin estel anim
Hip Hip, Cheers !!!
One of the heartbreaking lines, to me, is when Treebeard sees the large expanse of tree stumps and says "Many of these trees were my friends." Hits me every time.
It was really hard to wait a year. But it is hard to wait a week for your next reaction. Loving I!
I've never been so excited just to see a new video drop. As soon as you appeared at the start I had a massive smile on my face - you bring such a positive energy as well as the great reactions. I'm not even into the video yet and I'm already happy. My favourite reactors. Keep going 😄
LOL…that eye roll from Denise when Frodo fights gollum for the first time 😂😂😂
Loved the little side eyes Denise was giving every time a spoiler type scene came up. Was entertaining.
I've watched many of these LOTR reaction videos and I can genuinely say this has been one of the most enjoyable. You guys are fun to watch and loving every minute of it.
the elvish rope didn't fail...it's magical. It knew they wanted it back so it untied itself so they could take it.
Fun Fact: Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn) loved the stand in horse for Brego so much IRL that he actually bought him after filming was over and took him home with.
Viggo seems to do that a lot, after filming "Hidalgo" (good movie, you should watch) he bought the main horse from that movie too. 😊
I love your reactions! It's like taking a trip down memory lane, and I cannot wait until you watch the last one.
I really enjoy your detailed and thoughtful reactions! The behind the scenes documentaries on the extended version DVDs are well worth watching. I still sometimes go back and view them again.
It's funny that the actor who plays Gimli - John Rhys-Davies - is actually 6'1" tall, one of the tallest members of the cast. Pretty tall for a dwarf. He also supplied the voice of Treebeard.
Viggo is actually a truly gifted horseman/rider. His film Hildago is based on the true story of an American cowboy who went to Araba to be a contestant in a great horserace. Great film
Your reaction is pure gold. Each of you is the personification of our past and present selves. The first time amazement VS the thrill of re-living every treasured detail. Can't wait to see your final reaction. Thanks for this!
I've just recently discovered your channel, and I'm so very glad that I did. I love that you're both exploring the incredible world of Lord of the Rings together and that you're sharing that with all of us.
Actually I just love all of your reactions that I've seen so far. I love your enthusiasm, insightfulness and openmindedness to every film that you both watch and just in general you both seem like such lovely, genuine people too.
Definitely one of my new favourite reaction channels, no doubt!